If you must persuade your audience to take some action, aren't you being manipulative and unethical? Explain.
You are being persuasive! If you get them to do something that they don't want to do, then you are manipulative. If you get them to do something illegal, then you are unethical.
Sra
It depends on what action you are persuading them to take and whether it is an advantage for the person being persuaded or the persuader. For example, manipulating a person to take unwanted medication for their condition would not be unethical. Having them buy the medication mainly to get excessive profits would be.
What about getting your kids to eat their vegetables? What about trying to get greater productivity from your employees? What about trying to get students/employees to do more effective learning?
One of the best ways of persuading is to show the persons how the change will positively affect them and making the changes relatively easy to do.
Here are some articles on persuasion that might be helpful.
http://www.members.cox.net/dagershaw/lol/InfluenceAntecedents.html
http://www.members.cox.net/dagershaw/lol/InfluenceMorePrinciples.html
http://www.members.cox.net/dagershaw/lol/InfluenceStillMore.html
I hope this helps a little more. Thanks for asking.
Persuasion is a common and necessary practice in various aspects of life, including communication, marketing, and leadership. While persuasion does involve influencing others to adopt a certain viewpoint or to take a specific action, it does not necessarily imply manipulation or unethical behavior. The key distinction lies in the methods used to persuade and whether the intention is genuinely in the best interest of both parties involved.
1. Transparency and Honesty: It is important to be transparent and honest when persuading others. Presenting accurate information, providing a balanced perspective, and acknowledging potential drawbacks or counterarguments are essential to maintaining ethical conduct. Manipulation, on the other hand, involves using deceitful or dishonest tactics to mislead or exploit someone for personal gain.
2. Respect for Autonomy: Ethical persuasion respects the autonomy of the audience. It involves empowering individuals to make informed decisions based on their own beliefs, values, and interests, rather than coercing or pressuring them into compliance. Manipulation disregards autonomy and seeks to control or influence individuals against their will or best interests.
3. Appeal to Reason and Emotions: Ethical persuasion relies on presenting rational arguments supported by evidence and reason, as well as appealing to the emotions and values of the audience. This allows individuals to critically evaluate the information and make choices based on their own judgment. Manipulative tactics often exploit emotions, biases, or vulnerabilities without considering the rationality or long-term consequences of the decision.
4. Mutual Benefit: Ethical persuasion seeks to create win-win situations, where both parties benefit from the proposed action or viewpoint. It entails emphasizing the advantages and positive outcomes for both the persuader and the audience. On the other hand, manipulative behavior is typically one-sided, aiming solely for the benefit of the manipulator at the expense of the person being manipulated.
Ultimately, the ethical boundary of persuasion lies in the intention and methods used. Ethical persuasion values autonomy, honesty, transparency, and mutual benefit, aiming to influence others positively and empower them to make informed decisions aligned with their own values and interests.